Wrap stripe knitting machine



July 22., 1941. -R. & LAwsoN 3 5.

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' 2 Summer? (Ittorneg y 2, 1941. R. H. LAWSON 2,250,307

WRAP STR/IPE KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed July 24. 1931 5sheets-sheet 2 35 v v v Qfinentor: 180351? T15. MIA 50M attorney July22, 1941. R. H. LAWSON WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed July24, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet s 3nventor 1POBRTH LAM/50A;

By 1M (Ittorneg Patented July 22, 1941 WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINERobert H. Lawson, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company,Central Falls, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Continuation ofapplication Serial No. 552,954, July 24, 1931. This application July 12,1934,

Serial No. 734,847

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of and mechanism forknitting so-called wrap stripes in stockings or other fabric and moreespecially half hose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, partly in section of a portion of aknitting machine with the improvements applied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical elevation and partly insection, showing some of the mechanism for guiding the wrap stripethreads to the needles of a knitting machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in section showing a portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken at a place other thanthe section shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken along the line 44, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 4, but showing alater phase of the knitting cycle;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the latch ring showing means for wrappingthreads around needles, the wrapping means and needles being in onephase of the knitting cycle;

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are views showing the wrapping means and needles insuccessively later phases of the knitting cycle;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing one thread beingwrapped aroundselected needles;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing another thread beingwrapped around other and immediately adjacent selected needles; and

Fig. 12 is a view of a stocking or half-hose having integrally knittedtherein and in adjacent wales of the same course or courses diilerentwrap threads, as well as a heel and a toe.

The needle cylinder l is shown as being mounted for rotary movements ina circular base 2, a portion only of which is shown. Rotary movementsare impart-ed to the cylinder in any convenient manner (not shown).Mounted upon the circular base 2 or part carried thereby is a cam 3, thepurpose of which is to raise or position jacks that may have droppedbelow the level of selecting cams 4 and- 5 so that the latter may selectsuch jacks and consequently raise their needles for a purposehereinafter to be described. A plurality of cams 4, three in the presentinstance, are mounted in diagonal slots 6 provided in a cam block 1, theslots 6 being cut through the block 1 and the open ends thereof beingclosed by means of a cap plate I. By removing the cap plate I the cams 4may be replaced as desired. As shown, the block I is connected toanother cam block or support 8 within which are mounted thebeforementioned cams 5 circumferentially spaced from the cams 4, eightsuch cams 5 being shown in the present instance, although the number ofcams 4 and 5 may be varied at will. The cams 5 are arranged indiagonally disposed slots 9, the slots 9 being cut through the block 8and the open ends of such slots being closed by the block I.

By selectively controlling the cams 4 and cams 5 which constitute needleselecting stations, a variable number of needles can be elevated to havewrapped therearound either the thread 25 or the thread 25, one exampleof such varied needle wrapping being illustrated in Fig. 12.

The cam block 8 depends from and is carried by a stationarily supportedcam plate l0, upon th upper face of which are mounted a cam block I I,and a cam ring [2, which cam ring and block constitute or carry certaincams for actuating the needles. The instep cams I3, I3 are mounted inany convenient manner (not shown) upon the upper face of the cam plate10 which latter also supports a cam M, the function of which will behereinafter described. The usual sinker head I5 is provided foractuating the sinkers (not shown). Thereabove is mounted a latch ring l6pivotally supported in the usual manner for movements to and from theneedle cylinder and carrying a plurality of thread guiding levers suchas I1, l8 and I9, which levers feed the main or body threads to theneedles as well as heel and toe, striping or other threads, eithersingly or in plating relation, as desired. As shown, Fig. 5, a bodythread 20 and a plating thread 2| are being fed to the needles, the heeland toe thread 22 being shown in an inoperative, non-feeding position.In said Fig. 5 a few needles 23 only are shown, the needle circle beingotherwise indicated by a dot and dash line 24.

In order to wrap threads, such as 25, 25', around selected needles, thesaid threads are supported from elevated bobbins mounted upon a plate orsupport 26 such as that shown in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608, February19, 1929, and from such elevated bobbins the threads pass down throughholes 21 provided in the gear 28, through aligning holes 29 in asupplemental plate 30 fast to the gear plate 28, and then down throughholes 3| provided in a plate 32, fastened to and depending from thelower side of which is a block or plate 33, the said block or plate 33being fastened to the plate 32 by means of pins or screws 34. The block33 is also pro- 42, and to which ring 4| is connected in any suit-- ablemanner a complemental flanged ring 43 which latter overhangs the gearplate 28 and limits the upward thrust thereof. The gear plate 28 isdriven in any suitable manner such as by means of the usual driveincluding the shaft 44 which may be driven in any suitable manner suchfor example as the means for driving the shaft 45 in Lawson Patent1,702,608, said shaft 45 corresponding to shaft 44 herein dis closed.The gear plate 28 is provided with a sleeve or tubular extension 45-upstandingtherefrom, to the upper end of which is connected a plate 46,which plate 46' is adapted to' support thread guiding eyelets forthreads passing from bobbins which may be supported upon and rotatablewith plate 26 as hereinbe'fore' described, such plate being mounted:upon and rotatable with the gear plate 28. The bobbins, yarn tensions,etc., are not herein shown in detail as they may be of substantially thesame construction as are the corresponding pa'rtsshow'rl in Fig. 32 oftheLawson Patent 1,702,608;

All the rotary parts included in the wrapping mechanism may be referredto as constituting a wrapping head which is eccentrical'ly mounted withrespect to the needle cylinder and is rotatable in time therewiththereby causing the thread such as 25, 25 to move from a position withinthe needle circle to a position to the outside thereof and back again toa position within the needle circle. Although the wrapping head isrotatable in time with the needle cylinder, the linear speed of therotating needles is greater than the linear speed of the wrap threads byreason of the larger diameter of the needle cylinder as compared withthe diameter of the wrapping head.

One object of the present invention .is to so control the wrapping thatimmediately adjacent needles may be wrapped with threads of differentcolors and during the same course of knitting. One means foraccomplishing that object is disclosed in Figs 2, 4, and 4a, the methodof knitting being more or less diagrammatically disclosed in Figs. 5-11inclusive, to which several figures reference will now be made.

As hereinbefore stated the disc 30 is attached to the underside of thegear 29 in any suitable manner so as to move therewith, and to theunderside of the said disc is attached, as by T means of screws 41, aflanged sleeve 48 which loosely surrounds the shaft. To the lower end ofthe sleeve 48 is attached a collar 49 as by means of a screw 50.Pivotally connected to the flange 5| of the sleeve 48 as by means ofscrews 52 are arms or detents 53 and adjacent to the outer end of eacharm at 54 is connected a coil spring 55 the other end of which ismadefast to a pin 55 depending from flange 5i of sleeve 48. Intermediatethe ends of each detent 53 there is provided a depending pin in the formof a screw 5?, each said pin engaging a slot 58 in plate 32. The purposeof the pin and slot connections 51, 58, is to provide a drivingconnection between the gear 28 and shaft 59 the lower end of which shaft3 59 carries the yoke 31 and discs 39, 40 for causing the threads 25,25' to be wrapped around selected needles. Ordinarily and as disclosedin the Lawson Patent 1,702,608, the means corresponding to the disc 39,40 rotates one and one with the needle cylinder, and due to the factthat the needle cylinder is of much greater diameter than the diameterof the plates 39, 40, the needles relatively move past the threads 25,25 and it is not possible to wrap threads of different colors aroundimmediately adjacent needles during the same course of knitting becauseadjacent guide eyes 38, 38 must necessarily be spaced apart a greaternumber of degrees than the number of degrees measured between twoadjacent needles; accordingly, some means must be provided whereby aneyelet such as the eyelet 38 may wrap its thread 25 around one or moregroups 60 consisting of one or more selected needles (Fig. 10) andthereafter eyelet 38' may wrap its thread 25' around other and adjacentgroups 6| of selected needles (Fig. 11). As shown in Figs. 10 and 11,the needles E0 wrapped with thread 25 include three groups of twoneedles each, said groups being separated by other groups of two needles6! each, which latter are wrapped with thread- 25.

The object of wrapping immediately adjacent needles by threads ofdiiferent colors during the same course of knitting is accomplished bythe method of selecting and controlling needles hereinafter describedand assisted by the hereinbefore described detents 53 which for thegreater part of the revolution merely act as driving connections betweenthe gear 28 and the shaft 59; but when the eyelets 38,. 38' reach theposition shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, they are momentarily held in suchposition and until the threads 25, 25' are wrapped around theirrespective groups of needles 69, 6|, the retardation of the discs 39, 49and shaft 59 being accomplished by an abutment 62 depending from andfastened to the flanged ring 4|. In Fig. 4, one detent 53 is shown asjust having moved into engagement with the abutment 62. Engagement ofthe abutment 62 with a detent 53' causes the end of the latter to seatagainst such abutment and remain there until, due to the rotation of thegear 28 and connected parts, the pivot pin or screw 52 is moved to theposition shown in Fig. 4a, when further rotation of the gear 28 andconnected parts causes the end of the detent 53 to slip off the abutment62; whereupon the coil spring 55, which was elongated by the engagementof the detent 53 with the abutment 62 and the rotation of the gear 28and connected parts, causes the detent 53 to snap off the abutment 62,thus rotating the shaft 59 through the engagement of the pin 5'! withthe slot 58. When the detent 53 is released from the abutment 62 thecoil spring 55 tends to pull the detent in a counterclockwise direction(Fig, 4a) which detent by means of its pin 51 engaging the Wall of theslot 58 causes the plate 32 which is provided with slots 55, also tomove quickly in the counterclockwise direction (Fig. 40.) and themovement of the plate 32 is communicated to the shaft 59 through theblock or plate 33 which latter is provided with a spline 63 engaging ina longitudinally disposed keyway 84 provided in the shaft 59, suchspline and keyway connection transmitting rotary movements from the gear28 to the shaft 59, but permitting the wrapping mechanism to be elevatedat desired times as by means of a lever similar to the lever I28 in theLawson Patent 1,702,608 and connections therefrom.

The method of wrapping immediately adjacent needles with threads ofdifferent colors is illustrated in Figs. -11 inclusive to whichreference is now made. As shown in said figures, pairs of eyelets 38, 38are disposed at opposite sides of the discs 39, 40 whereby clocking orother effects may be knitted into a stocking or other fabric at oppositesides thereof. However, the number and disposition of the guides such as38, 38 is not restricted and may be varied according to the patterndesired.

As shown in Fig. 5, the latch ring 18 is recessed at 65 therebypermitting the discs 39, 40 to overlap the needle cylinder so that theeyelets 38, 38' may pass to the outside of the needle circle duringtheir needle wrapping movements. As hereinbefore stated the needles 23which are mounted in tricks or grooves in the needle cylinder I, as wellas the discs 39, 40, are driven through th connections hereinbeforedescribed in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5, so as to rotate oneand one, that is, one turn of the needle cylinder for one turn of thediscs 39, 48. When, during the relative rotations of the needle cylinderl and guides 38, 88, they arrive at the relative positions shown in Fig.5, a detent 53 has just reached the position shown in Fig. 4, that is,in engagement with the abutment 62. Thereafter rotation of the needlecylinder continues from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown inFig. 7 without the discs 38, 4!! rotating. During this interval, i. e.,from Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the groups 80 of the needles are elevated by anyone or more of the cams 4 and immediately thereafter one or more of thecams 5 elevate groups 6| of needles, whereby the groups 88, 6! ofneedles may be wrapped by threads 25, 25' respectively.

It will be understood from inspection of Figs. 5-11 inclusive, that thewrapping of immediately adjacent needles by threads of different colorsis rendered possible by the fact that the needles or rather the groups6| of the needles 23 are not elevated by the jacks and cam or cams 5 asindicated by dot and dash line 66 until after the said needles havemoved past the eyelet 38; and that the groups 60 of the needles 23 areraised as indicated by dot and dash line 81 just before they reach theeyelet 38 and after engaging the thread 25 in their hooks areimmediat-ely relowered by cam I8 so as not to engage the thread 25'which is fed to the groups 8| of the needles 23 through the eyelet 38.

After the groups of needles 68, 6! have been wrapped by their respectivethreads 25, 25' a detent 53 snaps oif the abutment 62 thereby causingthe discs 59, Mi through the connections hereinbefore described to movequickly from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8; inother words, the spring 55 companion to the detent 53 causes the discs38, 18 to catch up with the needle cylinder. The quick circumferentialmovement of the discs 39, 40 just described prevents any possibility ofthe second thread 25 being wrapped around the needles 6!. Thereafter anduntil the other detent 53 engages the abutment 62, the discs 39, 48 andneedle cylinder rotate in time the one with the other; engagement of thedetent 58 with the abutment 62 causing the operations just described tobe repeated.

In Figs. 6-9 inclusive there is shown a fragment 68 of the sO-calledbinder plate which corresponds to the plate 280 shown in Lawson Patent1,702,608 and upon the upper surface of which is mounted the usual meansfor clamping and severing the yarns 20, 2 I, 22, etc., when the latterare to be interchanged the one for the other whenever it is desired tochange the said yarns during the knitting of the stocking as, forexample, when commencing the knitting of the heel and toe. The plate 68is provided with an elongated extension or finger 69, providingtherebetween and the opposing edge of the plate 68 a slot 10corresponding in function to the slot 28l shown in the Lawson Patent1,702,608. During the knitting of wrap courses the wrap thread such as25, 25' play in the said slot 10 within which they are confined,additionally if desired, by means of a member similar to that shown at282 in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608. After the wrap threads are engagedin the needle hooks, continued rotation of the needle cylinder draws outthe said wrap threads while the wrapped needles and companion eyelets38, 38' are relatively moving away from one another or separating, andthereafter when the said needles and companion eyelets 38, 38 relativelyapproach one another, take-ups similar to or identical with the take-upsdisclosed in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608 take up the resultant slack inthe threads 25, 25. As the needles and eyelets 38, 38 move in thedirection of the arrows, Fig. 5, the groups 60, SI of needles 23 engagetheir respective threads in their hooks and thereafter, due to therotation of the needle cylinder relatively to the binder plate 68, carrysuch threads around to a position adjacent to the end of the finger 69where a member similar in construetion and function to the member 282shown in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608 engages such threads and as theneedle cylinder continues its rotation causes such threads to beconfined within the slot or opening 10, such threads when the eyelets88, 38' again reach the position shown in Fig. 5, leading as fioats fromthe wales where they ere knitted into the fabric during the mentionedpreceding course of knitting, under the finger- 69 and then up above thesame and through the eyelets 38, 38'. During the next course of knittingthe threads 25, 25 are again fed to selected needles which thereaftercontinue their rotation as before and during such rotation cause thefloats of threads 25, 25' leading from the fabric, underneath the finger69 and up over the same to the needles last engaging the same, to bedrawn off the finger 69. Successive positions of such threads areindicated in the drawings: in Fig. 9 the threads 25, 25 are shown afterthe knitting of one course and prior to the knitting of the followingcourse; in Fig. 6 the same parts and threads are shown in a later phaseof the knitting cycle; in Fig. 7 the parts and threads are shown in astill later phase; and in Fig. 8 the parts and threads are shown in astill later phase, the threads being just about to pass off the end ofthe finger 69.

In Fig. 12 there is shown a stocking or halfhose '5! having clockingefiects l2 knitted into the leg thereof, such clocking effectsconsisting of some of the stitches 13 in some of the courses havingknitted therein a wrap thread of one color or characteristic, and otherstitches M of the courses having knitted therein a wrap thread of adifferent color or characteristic. The stitches 13 are shown as varyingin number from course to course. During the knitting of the stocking orhalf-hose a heel T5 and toe 16 are knitted, the main yarns being changedat the commencement of the knitting of the heel and toe and at thecompletion of the knitting thereof, such interchange of yarns beingaccomplished by means of the yarn levers ll, [8, l9 and the yarnclamping and cutting mechanism disclosed in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608,which clamping and cutting mechanism is, preferably, mounted upon theupper surface of the plate 68.

The use of the mechanism hereinbefore described for wrapping immediatelyadjacent needles during the knitting of a course, in connection with theinterchangeable yarn levers and clamping and cutting mechanism, rendersit possible to knit a stocking or half-hose having different Wrapthreads knitted therein at adjacent wales in the same course or courses;and having knitted therein different main or body yarns such as for theheels and toes, although horizontal stripes could obviously be knittedinto leg or foot of a stocking or half-hose if desired.

The wrapping and needle selection mechanism hereinbefore described,makes it possible to wrap one or more needles with one thread only andto wrap immediately adjacent needles on either or both sides of theneedles first mentioned with a second thread only.

In other words, needles of the groups 60, 61 (Fig. 10) may be optionallywrapped, dependent upon needle selection, with either of the two threads25, Where, in the foregoing description, reference is made to thewrapping of adjacent or other needles with different threads, it will beunderstood that the language is intended to define the wrapping of atleast one needle with one thread only and an immediately adjacent needlewith another thread only. Furthermore, where wrapping needles with onethread only is referred to it is the intention to cover the wrapping oftwo or more threads when they are fed to the needles through a singleeyelet 38, 38; and where the selecting of a group of needles is referredto, it is the intention to include the wrapping of single needles or aplurality of needles, as determined by needle selection.

Although in the foregoing description limiting terms have been used todescribe the various parts and functions of the same, there is nointention to limit the invention to the precise details disclosed nor tothe type of machine disclosed,

the invention being applicable to types of machines other than theBanner machine to which this invention particularly relates; it beingthe intention to limit the invention by the appended claims only.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 552,954,filed July 24, 1931.

I claim:

1. A circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder in whichneedles are independently mounted, means for feeding at least one yarnto all of the needles, means for wrapping at least two differentlycolored threads around selected needles, said wrapping means beingmounted to rotate in time with the needle cylinder but in eccentricrelation therewith, and means for selecting needles to be wrapped witheach of the threads, the needle wrapping being selectively controlledvariably to wrap one or more needles with one thread only and to wrap,during the same course of knitting, needles immediately adjacent to thevariably wrapped needles with another thread only, whereby a colorwithin color effect is produced in a given course.

2. A circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder andneedles independently mounted therein, means for feeding at least oneyarn to all of the needles, means for wrapping at least two threadsaround selected needles, said wrapping means being mounted to rotate intime with the needle cylinder but in eccentric relation therewith, andmeans for selecting needles to be wrapped with each of the threadsincluding a plurality of needle selecting stations at each of whichstations needles are selected to be wrapped with one of the threads, theneedle wrapping being selectively controlled variably to wrap one ormore needles with one thread only and to wrap at least one needleimmediately adjacent to the variably wrapped needle or needles withanother thread only so that during a given course of knitting one, atleast, of the needles shall be wrapped with one of the threads only andan immediately adjacent needle shall be wrapped with another threadonly.

3. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having aneedle cylinder, means for feeding at least one yarn to all of theneedles during the knitting of a plurality of courses, means, betweenwhich and the needle cylinder there are relative rotary movements, towrap one thread around one or more of a group of needles and anotherthread around one or more of another group of needles and in such amanner that immediately adjacent needles may be wrapped, during the samecourse of knitting, with threads having different characteristics, incombination with means including a plurality of needle selectingstations each needle selecting station selecting one of the groups ofneedles.

4. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having arotary needle cylinder and means for feeding at least one yarn to all ofthe needles during the knitting of a plurality of courses, means adaptedto rotate in time with the needle cylinder but at a lesser linearvelocity with respect thereto, such other means including thread guidesmoving during the knit ting of wrap courses and while the said means isrotating, from a position within the needle circle to a position outsidethereof, the wrapping being so controlled as, during the knitting of thesame course, to wrap one or more needles of one group of needles withone thread and to wrap one or more needles of another group of needleswith a second thread so that two immediately adjacent needles may bewrapped with separate threads each having different characteristics, incombination with means including a plurality of selecting stations eachof which variably selects one of the groups of needles.

5. In a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotaryneedle cylinder, means for feeding at least one yarn to the needles,means for wrapping differently colored threads around needles saidwrapping means including a wrapping head rotatable in time with theneedle cylinder but in eccentric relation therewith so as to cause thethreads to move from a position within the needle circle to a positionto the outside thereof and back again to a position within the needlecircle, said wrapping means wrapping at least two threads aroundselected needles, one such thread being variably wrapped around one ormore needles as desired, the needle wrapping being so controlled thatduring a given course of knitting one or more needles shall be wrappedwith one thread only and at least two needles immediately adjacent toand on each side of the said one or more needles shall be wrapped with asecond thread only, whereby in a course a color within color efiect willbe produced, in combination with a plurality of needle selectingstations each variably selecting needles to be wrapped with one of thethreads.

6. In a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotaryneedle cylinder, means for feeding at least one yarn to the needles,means for wrapping difierently colored threads around needles saidwrapping means including a Wrapping head rotatable in time with theneedle cylinder but in eccentric relation therewith so as to cause thethreads to move from a position within the needle circle to a positionto the outside thereof and back again to a position within the needlecircle, said wrapping means wrapping at least two threads aroundselected needles, one such thread being variably wrapped around one ormore needles as desired, the needle wrapping being so controlled thatduring a given course of knitting one or more needles of a group ofneedles shall be wrapped with one thread only and one or more otherneedles of a group shall be wrapped with a second thread only, wherebyin a course a color within color effect will be produced, in combinationwith a plurality of needle selecting stations each variably selectingneedles to be wrapped with one of the threads.

ROBERT H. LAWSON.

